Improvement in the manufacture of bridle-bits



F. CRANE. Manufacture of Bridle-Bits.

Patented April 30,1878.

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A iiasaua I I I I K J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK CRANE, OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRIDLE-BITS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,002, dated April30, 1878; application filed December 14, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK CRANE, of Bloomfield, in the county ofEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in the Mouth-Pieces of Bits; and I do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whichwill enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, inwhich- Figure 1 shows a front view of the rough forging as it lies inthe lower half of the die; Fig. 2, a front view of the forging, with theburr clipped off; Fig. 3, a side view of the same; Figs. 4 and 5, sideviews of mouthpieces of a jointed bit; Fig. 6, one style of a completedbit.

My invention relates to an improved method of producing open-headmouth-pieces for bits, whereby both heads of the mouthpiece blank areformed in line with matched shoulders at a single operation.

Heretofore, in all mouth-pieces made with open heads, to be afterwardturned around a cheek-piece, as represented in Fig. 6, the method hasbeen to forge first one end, and afterward the other, resulting in onehead usually being out of line with the other, and necessitating afurther operation of straightening the mouth-pieces, so as to bring thecheek-pieces in line, besides the greater expense of separate forging.By being in line, I mean that the cheek-pieces shall form the same anglewith the mouth-pieces at both ends.

In my invention both of the heads are formed at once, and must ofnecessity be correct in their relations to each other.

Another advantage of my invention is in the shoulder B, Fig. 3, whichfits against the opposite shoulder 0 when the ends are bent into acircular form in the formation of the head. These match in such a mannerthat the ends can be turned either hot or cold, and no further operationis necessary.

I do not confine myself to the form of the shoulder C, because it isapparent that it may be of various forms and still afford a bearing forthe end B, matching the same.

After clipping with the tools ordinarily used in a power-press, eitherin consequence of slight imperfections in the tools, or owing to thecharacter of the metal, or from some other cause, afin or the remains ofafin protrude more or less from the head of the mouth-piece. This fin,when the clipping is by the old method, extends upward into the innercircumference of the heads between B C, Fig. 3, and materiallyinterferes with the mouth-piece clasping the cheek-pieces.

In my method I make use of a cutting-tool, such as is ordinarily used,but altered so that the mouth-piece will rest in it in a position thereverse of that occupied by it in a forgingdie. The position in which itrests in the forging-die is shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The effect of my method is that the roughness or portions of the finremaining after the clipping operation is turned away from the innercircumference of the heads between B C, and away from the matchingshoulders.

The same result may be attained by modifying the forging-dies, so thatwhen they come together the burr will be below the line of the innercircumference of the head, which is turned around the cheeks, so thatany roughness left after clipping will not extend up sufficiently far tointerfere. Thus all the parts, which must fit close to the other partsin closing the heads, are left smooth, securing a nice fit even when theheads are closed down cold.

Figs. 4 and 5 represent two parts of a jointed mouth-piece, each ofwhich, by the usual process, receives two forgings, but by my processonly one.

I do not confine myself to the forms shown in the drawings, but apply myinvention to all of the many forms of stiff or jointed openmouth-pieces, in which both ends require forg- Then it seems desirable,I also make the halves of a jointed bit mouth-piece alike, either byforging both ends with eyes, or by forging both ends with hooks. Whenboth are forged with eyes, one of the eyes is sawed open to make a hook,and twisted so as to lie at a right angle to the eye on the other end.

I do not limit myself to any particular form of matched shoulders,because it is obvious that the changes may be numerous without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

Havin g thus described my iiwention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1S

1. The method. substantially as described, of manufacturing bridle-bits,consisting in striking up the mouth-piece with open heads, havingmatched shoulders, and ends adapted to embrace the cheek-piece, andbending the same upon the latter, all as described.

2. An open-head mouth-piece blank for bits struck up with matchedshoulders, and ends adapted to fit into each other, substantially as setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I afiix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK CRANE. Witnesses:

JOSEPH CoULT, E. P. CLAW, Jr.

